I am retired from a long career that spanned three decades across three continents, with the majority of it working for the County of Los Angeles. My love of nature is rooted in my upbringing in Egypt. One could not escape observing insects as they sometimes unintentionally ended up in bread! Six months ago, I started birding. My hobby quickly became a daily routine, as I find it has a meditative quality. The best day for me is when I discover new species, that I can ID correctly. While out in the field, I observe insects, plants, and other forms of life. It is fun and rewarding to share my finds with others through iNaturalist. My hope is our collective data will help preserve the environment for future generations.